A brief discourse showing the causes of the controversies between the Warden and Master of the Mint

A brief Discourse shewinge the causes of the Contrau^ersies growen betwene the warden and master worker of the mynte

First the nowe warden and master were bothe suters for thoffice of master & worker /

Eche of them offred a price for {ferminge} of the mynte /

The wardens first offer was to allowe to her majestie for coynage xxch for gold and viij^d for silu^er the pounde weight and he to saue the whole remedies wherby is plaine that somuche of the remedies as was not speciallie reserued to her majestie was eu^er the memaninge of the suter in all his sutes and offers to be to him that sholde haue the office and that at the same tyme the warden thought it no matter againste conscience or the com̄on weale or her heighnessse due proffitt to haue him self the whole remedies /

This was then thoughte so large an offer as no other man wolde reache unto /

The master offred the same price it was accepted & her majestie pleased that he sholde haue the office before any other /

The warden tolorablie offred a greater price which he saide he mente but uppon suche conditons as he wolde haue sett doune yf the Audito^res had not willed the contrarie wherwith the L: Treasur^er was offended /

The master perteininge that greater offer to procede of mallice & to be a demise to driue him from the bargaine agreed to giue what soeu^er the warden offred bicause of her gracious benivolence her majestie willed that Lonyson geuinge as an other wolde sholde haue the p^refermente /

Here the master humblie priaeth due consideration of that which followeth

First the forme of the wardens sute & offer & his meaninge to haue had not onelie the whole remedies where the nowe master hathe but the one half but also diu^erse other speciall proffitte which he mente by secret meanes to reape to his oune use as in p^referringe him self alwaies to the first paiemente & in {oftene} retornes of his owne bullion then other Subiecte sholde haue had by which & other meanes he might easelie haue brought the whole trade of bullion into his owne hands as herafter us shewed /

Secondlie the wardens conscience which is speciallie to be noted that if he might haue had thoffice colde quietlie haue taken all these & other proffitte of thoffice to him self which nowe he supposeth in his concience re due to her majestie /

Thirdlie the Audito^res {priuise} to the wardens sute and seu^erall offers and what moued him to winke at so greate a discomoditie as the warden therin offred to her majestie for it is probable that if the warden might haue had thoffice at his first offer it had ben to him C £ yearlie more proffitable then it is nowe to the master /

But all their deuices and pruposes were p^resented by her majestie^s grantinge the office to the master /

The wardens furder practices for his speciall proffitte /

The warden beinge still desirouse to atteine the saide speciall proffitte & pertely to execute his mallice againste the master practised diu^erse waies to bringe one of these two thinge to passe viz either to procure the office from the master to him self or to enter into suche pacte and compositons with the master as might yeilde him those extraordinarie proffitte aswell as if thoffice had ben in his oune hands /

After her majestie^s first grante of the office to the master & before the full perfiting therof the warden agreed with the master yf he tolde yett thoffice allowinge for coynage ijs vj^d golde and xch siu^er to change offices and to make upp the master^s fee C poundes yearlie /

After obteyninge of the office for the same allowance the master offred the warden to accepte the saide bargaine of exchange The warden then refused it bicause there was allowed to thoffice the proffitte of the whole remedies which still maketh it plaine that the wardens concience which the Audito^ers good favoure <1v> colde haue allowed to him self the whole remedies withoute grudginge who since for zele and conscience haue denied to the master the half remedies althoughe they knewe it was eu^er the meaninge of bothe theire sutes and of the masters contracte with her majestie

Afterwards when the warden had thus gon from his owne agremente with the master and yet neu^erthelesse had used diu^erse policies and vehemente persuaions to obteinte the office to him self and faylinge of all these meanes to get his purpose he fell to other practices for his proffitt /

He charged the master that he prosmised him to make upp his fee C^£ a yere which althoughe indede he did not yet bicause he might wronge him diuerse waies he was contented for a tyme so longe as he thought good to graunte it and paied him accordinelie for a whole yere xliiij ^£ vij^s vj^d howe beit the warden was not therwith satisfied but from tyme to tyme urged the master to things inconveniente /

At a nother tyme he wolde haue had the master to receiue his Spanishe moneyes unmolte at the full price and to stande to all waste & meltings and other losses wheunto yf the master wolde haue agreed the warden wolde haue siffred him to receiuw and melte Spanishe moneyes as it alwaies hathe ben accustomed withoute first meltinge it for takinge thassaies onelie which nowe he denieth the master p^retendinge it to be for her majestie and subiecte proffitt in truthe can be no proffitt to her majestie at all but a doble charge & losse to the master and a greate hindrance to the subiecte /

Also he requested for his owne bullion brought into the mynte to haue had his moneyes deliu^ered him againe by weight payinge the master onelie iij^d uppon the pounde weight & in consideraton therof he offred to discharge the master of the foresaide xliiij^£ vij^s vj^d a yere and so if he might haue had the benefitt of the weight {als} the shew to him self which nowe he p^retendeth to be her majestie^s there had neu^er any other tryall ben procured or moned as nowe there is contrarye to the forme of the Indenture /

Also he wolde haue had his owne bullion deliu^ered & paimente to be made of his moneyes before other men sayinge bicause he was the hed officer he oought to haue fauo^re and that it had alwaies ben so used and tolde no waye be p^reiudicial to the master the master answered that such delings caused Stanleye to be complained of and therfore he must deale with all men indifferentelie neither myght he doe it in equitie soe that the Couenante of his Indenture were to the contrarie wheruppon the warden semed to be offended /

Then he wolde haue growne to a nother compositon that if the master wolde haue paied him his moneye p^resentelie uppon eu^ery coynage he the warden wolde haue clered all other mens bills at xiiij dayes eande yf there were not moneyes coyned of there owne sufficiente by which means he sholde haue had two or thre retornes for other mens one and so within short tyme haue had the whole trade in his owne hands To this after longe debatinge the master answered that if the warden colde gett the {comitells} warant for the master^s discharge and the consente of them that used to bringe bullion into the mynte he wolde doe it and not otherwise wherwith the warden was offended and from thenceforthe he and the Audito^r sought wrongefullye to molleste the master for which cause he surseased the paimente of the forefaide anuitie of {illeg} xliiij^£ vij^s vj^d /

The warden beinge dismissed therof and perceivinge no likelihod to obteine his other desires then followed such tones of open mallice as hath ensued                                                                            viz

First he exhibited to the L: Treasure^re a bill of speciall articles wherin he supposeth that by the teno^re of the Indenture he is to take upp all proffitts to her heighenesse upe other then onelye xviij^d for eu^ery pounde weight of golde and viij^d for silu^er which he saithe the master is to haue for makinge the moneyes and beringe all waste and expence wherin he sheweth what conscience he bereth towards the master for he knoweth or safelie maye knowe that this allowance is not aboue C iiij^xx £ a yere at the most and that the master^s waste and expence is C C ^£ a yere at the leaste

<2r>

Then he complaineth againste the master for challenginge the proffitte risinge by the meltings for puttinge allaie to the bullion withoute sufferinge the warden to see it for puttinge his oune silu^er to meltinge withoute assaie taken therof and for not sifferinge the Teller to tell the moneyes concluding that he taketh all these to be contraye to theffecte of the saide Indenture and that many other matters were nedefull to be ordred by of these he praieth his Lordeshipps p^refect order /

To these Articles the master particularlie answered referringe him self therin to be indyed by the teno^re of his Indenture prayinge to enioye the benefit of her majestie^s graunte accordinge to righte as by his saide answers appereth /

Shortelie after the warden with thaduice of the Audito^r diuded the master^s patente & Indenture into xlij Articles settinge doune obiections againste the master almoste uppon eu^ery Article wherin are also Iterated the form^er Articles /

And at the foote therof the warden draweth the whole patente & Indenture in to thre princepall pointts or questions / viz /

The first is that where by form^er Indentures all man^er proffitte haue ben reserued to the printe whether any thinge be comprised in the saide patent and Indenture to take the same from the Quene nowe and what and howe muche it is that is taken awaie /

Secondlie whether her majestie notwithstandinge the trialle mentoned in the Indenture maye not make any other triall that she will beinge iuste and trewe tryalle / &c /

Lastelie whether the master withoute the Quenes warant maye prohibit or hinder suche tryall /

All which obiections princepall pointts and questions the master at alrge hathe answered and suffitientelie disproued at the foote of eu^ery obiection in suche wise as nothinge hathe ben therunto replied

These foresaide matters beinge answered and put to silence a newe deuice was framed againste the master to make a shewe of those greate proffitts which the warden and Audito^r had then sofore enformed the L: Treaser^er to growe indirectelie to the master wheruppon his hono^r willed the Audito^r to sett donne a reconinge howe those proffitte grewe and and theruppon the Audito^r drue his deuice and reconinge in effecte as followeth /

Hereunto the Audito^r replieth and the master {rewyneth} as by their seu^erall bookes apprereth

<2v>

Uppon this the parties ioyned Issue and by comanndemente of the L: Treasur^er and iointte consente of the parties artesmen were appointed and sworne on bothe sides to trye the truthe and finde the erro^r in this controu^ersie and to gelde upp their seu^erall oppinions to master Osborne and master Humfrey who were also appointed to reporte those sworne mens doinge to his Lordeship and by full consente and agremente of bothe parties M. D: pounde weight of xj^oz fine silu^er and xx^d weight of allaie charged to the pott and the fire was admytted to reforme from the fyre xj^oz j^d weight fine and in weight but xj^oz xix^d weight /

The sworne men theruppon {trauailed} to acquit theire charge in that behalf & Examynininge the whole matter in controu^ersie uppon the false obiectionings or reconinge they reduced the same into two questions the one uppon the weight onelie and the other uppon the finesse onelie which after they had thorowly considered and digested they gaue upp their seu^erall verdicte as followeth /

The verdicte of Robert Broune & Andrew Palmer sworne one the Auditor^rs side /

which we are perswaded that we can proue to be trewe for any thinge that can be trulie alledged to the contrarye /

The verdicte of Richard Rogers and Thomas Kelinge sworne on the master^s side /

And so accordinge to thexample abovesaide admytted by master Audito^r & master Lonyson M. D lacketh of his pounde weight delu^ered but ix^d a as master Lonyson saithe and not xij^d ob as master Audito^r hathe saide /

These seu^erall verdicte beinge thus deliu^ered to master Osborne the xx^th of Auguste 1574 / the matter hathe eu^ersince bene suspended an no Indyemente geuen on the one side nor on thother since which tyme the master^s Indenture beinge newlie deuided into Lxij Articles he was com̄anded to sett downe his oppinion and construction uppon eu^ery Article which he hathe performed accordingly and hathe delu^ered the same to the L: Treasure^r expectinge to here what wilbe saide to the contrarie /

And whiles the master hathe ben continually occupied to answer their querilous deuices his adu^ersaries at the mynte namelye the warden and Assie^r haue not forgotten any Iniurye that from the beginge myght be offred to the master /

Thassaie^r for his parte missereportinge diu^erse assaies to the master^s greate hindrance and beinge taken with the mau^er and warned therof hathe neu^erthelesse continued his abbuse /

The warden for his parte suffringe and allowinge the same and procuringe warrante some to cou^er his defaulte some to intrude into the master^s office contrary to her majestie^s grannte and Indenture and contrarye to antient order and custome /

The m^erchants are therby occasioned to transeporte their bullion or to conu^erte it to other uses wherby the state is verry muche hindred /

The master by his meanes is greatelie sclaundered & the faulte laide onely in him /

Wherfore he moste humblie besecheth that Iustice maye be spedelie don that plaine truthe maye be p^referred before subtill practices /

<3r>

The first complainte of the warden exhibited againste the master      And the master^s answers to the same /

Warden /First it appereth to the saide warden by the teno^r of thindenture that the master worker is to haue for the makinge of the moneyes of golde onelye xvij^d onlie i8^d for gold & 8^d for silu^er for working waste & prouisyonfor eu^ery pounde weight and viij^d for eu^ery pounde weight of the silu^er moneyes and he to beare all waste and expence and that all other proffitte are to be taken by the saide warden to her majestie^s use /

Master / {Art. ꝫ.}To this the master answereth that this worde (onelye) is of the wardens owne additon onelye and not incerted in any plate of theindenture where the master^s allowance (onlye) {he in lendent^er: (met ꝑoll ensert}for coynage is mentoned for althoughe the xviij^d for golde & the viij^d for silu^er be allowed to the master for his charge of workemanshipp and waste &c / yet it followeth (for) working his waste & {entend} (towards) q^er {reserue}

not that therfore he is not to haue any other com̄oditie growinge to him by reason of his office for then he sholde lose by the excersise therof wellnere M ^£ yerelye bicause that the saide allowance of xviij^d and viij^d is not aboue M iiij^{xx £} a yere at the most and his waste and expence C C ^£ a yere at the leaste / neither dothe it appere by any article of the Indenture that the warden is to take upp all other proffitte to her heighnesse use but the plaine worde of theindenture be that the warden shall take upp all proffitt belonginge to her majestie And therfore other then suche proffitte as are refered to her majestie by thexpresse worde of the Indenture the warden is not to take upp nowe, more then other wardens heretofore haue don which haue had the like authoritye by the like worde in other master^s Indentures: For if it had ben mente that her majestie sholde haue had gen^erallye all profitte sauinge the saide xviij^d and viij^d as the warden supposeth the same other profitte wold gen^erallie haue ben reserued to her heighnesse by the Indenture but they be not nor it was neu^er mente that her majestie sholde haue gen^erallie all other proffitte and therfore those which were mente her majestiesholde haue were expreselie reserued by the Indenture and those onelye the warden is to take upp to her heighenesse use and none other nor otherwise /

Item the warden and assaie master are charged by the Indenture to kepe Warden / a lieger booke of the meltinge of all bullion of golde & silu^er put to leger booke of melting meltinge with a reporte of the weight price and finesse therof that her majestie might more dulie haue the proffitte of the same as the saide warden taketh it /

Master /That the warden and thassaie master are charged by thindenture to kepe one lieger booke of weight price & fynesse of bullion brought to the mint booke of the meltinge that is not so for the Lieger booke is to conteine the weight price and finesse of all man^er bullion brought to the mynte wherin the meltinge are not once mentoned And her majestie by thindenture is not to haue any proffitte of meltinge other then those that rise by the pott assaie nelie For the due gaininge of which proffitte the warden is to kepe a melting {ils st agarder} untill melting booke and not the saie master as the warden mistaketh it /

Warden / Contraye to the saide two Articles the saide master challengeth to him self the proffitte arisinge by the meltinge And wheras he useth to put

shall b ꝑfire del melting an allaye of copper or otherwise at his pleasure to the bullion assaied at the full standred yett he wull not in any wise suffer the warden to see or be priveye to the saide allaye neither to haue to doe or to haue any ou^ersight aboute the meltinge So neother the saide Lieger booke can be trewlie made nor the proffitte which her majestie ought to haue by the meltinge dulie required by the directed meane /

Master / The proffitte of the meltinge are parcell of those proffitte which are due to the master for the causes mentoned in his answer to the first article / And

b which shall b ꝑcell del master^s ꝑfite touchinge the priuetie and ou^ersight which the warden wolde haue of thallaie and meltinge the master saithe that no suche thinge is appointed to the warden by the Indenture / But the meltinge and meltinge howses is onelye the master^s charge and office bicause he onelie is to beare all waste and Losses that maye happen by the meltinge / Neither is the true makinge or kepinge of the Lieger booke nor the due requiringe of her majestie^s proffitte hindred therby For all things which the Lieger booke is to conteine ought alwaies to be entred before the bulion be deliu^ered to the meltinge / And her majestie^s proffitte by the meltinges which is her half remedie in finesse is to be required and safelie to be knowen by and accordinge to the pott assaie after the bullion is molten and not before nor otherwise /

<3v>

Warden Spanishe mon melt without assay. Item the saide master useth also often tymes to put his owne silu^er to meltinge withoute assaie taken therof and will haue the finesse therof entred uppon his owne exporte onlye /

master /The master useth not to put any of his owne silu^er to meltinge withoute assaie taken therof excepte Spanishe moneyes onelie & spanishe moneyes haue alwaies ben accustomed to be recoined into the munte for standred siluer the fynesse knowen & allowedwithoute first meltinge them for takinge thassaies which custome being prohibited wilbe greate damage aswell to her majestie as to the m^erchannte For yf the master (onelye for takinge thassaies) shalbe forced to melte the Spanishe moneyes brought to the mynte to be solde the waste and charge that groweth by the the weight the warden entrythe same meltinge must be abated in the price geuen to the m^erchante for that the master by reason of the same meltinge cannot geue so greate a price as otherwise he might doe / yf the master^s reservinge or buyinge Spanishe moneyes yf they may not be allowed without meltinge the merchannte must haue the {illeg} if the merchannte can not sell them at so gppd price at the mint he will sell to the goldsmythe or be discoraged to bring {them} shalbe forced to melte them for takinge the assaies the m^erchannts before he deliu^er them to the mynte must also be forced to melte them for takinge like assaies / yf the m^erchannts maye not deliu^er them to the mynte withoute suche meltinge then for takinge the assaies (wherof he hathe no skill) it wilbe a meane to driue him from the mynte and enfore him to sell them ell where better cheape rather then to melte them to at suche charge / And so the master by metlinge them shalbe put from his trade of buyinge for the which he mvst haue C C £ in stocke and the m^erchannte by meltinge them shall also be put from his gretest gaine wherby he is moste incouraged to trafficke for bullion and bringe them to the mynte Therefore this meltinge of Spanishe moneyes onelye for takinge thassaies is bit a deuice of the warden to driue the master from buyinge Spanishe moneyes of the m^erchannte when he wolde sell them to the master for redie moneye at the beste price and also to driue the m^erchante from deliu^eringe them at the mynte when he wolde be contente to farrye the tyme of coynage for his moste avanntage / And thus by colo^r of gaine p^retended to her majestie by meltinge the Spanishe moneyes onelye for takinge thassaies the whole trade shalbe driuen from the mynte to the goldesmithe who maye also conu^erte them into place the moste gaine whereof shall come to the warens purse bicause he buyeth more spanishe moneyes then all the reste of the goldesmithes / And so there shall not so muche moneyes be coyned as otherwise there wolde be wherby her majestie^s reuenewe shalbe greatelie diminished and the m^erchannte thereby verry muche hundred / And where the warden saithe that the master will haue the fynesse entred uppon his oune reporte onelye that is not so for the warden seeth and knoweth the weight of all the Spanishe moneyes brought to the mynte entreth the same into his Lieger booke accordingelie as he dothe all other bullion and the price and finesse of Spanishe moneyes hathe alwaies ben vallued at a certaine rate which is knowen aswell the to the warden as to the master / Againe the warden alwaies hathe jad the Lieger booke in his owne custodie wherin he hathe & maye enter the weight price and finesse of all man^er of bullion (not as the master will) but at his owne pleasure / Therfore thoughe the master wolde yett he cannot haue the finesse entred uppon his owne reporte onelye withoute the wardens consente and agremente /

Warden / Item where her majestie^s seller ought to sell the moneyes for the directer answeringe of the proffitte of the shere to her heighnesse use the for telling of moneyes for better answering the shere master will not suffer that but dothe it by his owne men affirming the proffitte therof to be his and not her majestie^s all which the saide warden taketh to be contrarie to theffecte of the saide Indenture /

Master And where the warden saithe that the Tekker ought to tell the moneyes for the profite of the shere answered {illeg} & not by telling no mention of a teller in thendent^er. the directer answeringe of the proffitte of the shere (that is not so) for there is no menton made of the teller to tell the moneyes in thindenture / But contrarelie it appereth by the Scedull annexed to thindenture that the tellers office beinge amongste many other office expreselie appointed in the Tresure^rs Indentures is nowe to cease and it is leste oute of this master^s Indenture as an by the scedule his office to cesse office superfluous and not nedefull to be used Therfore althoughe the master appoints his oune seruannte to thell the moneyes and will not suffer the teller to tell the same he dothe thering nothinge contrarie to the effecte of his Indenture as the warden mistaketh it / And as for her majestie^s proffite of the shere which is her half remedie in weight it is not to be answered by tellinge the moneyes at the tower but accordinge as it shall fall oute upon the truall of the pixe before her majestie^s comitell as it is Lymitted in the saide Indenture/

<4r>

Warden And althoughe there be many other matters nedefull to be ordred when as any establishemente shalbe made for all things yett in the meane tyme the saide warden moste humblye praieth yo^ur LOrdeshipps order in theis matters as moste nedefull to be had p^resentelie for asmuche as othersie her majestie^s good seruice maye be gretely hindred in the {p^remisse} /

Master / And where the warden saithe that there be many other matters nedefull to be ordred &tc The master {illeg}steth it shall appere to yo^ur hono^res that by his default there be not many matters nedefull to be ordred neither that the good seruice by him is hindred Besechinge also yo^er hono^res order that by cauvelle and quarrelle he be no longer letted from doinge suche seruice as he ought to doe but that he maye viuye the bennefit of her heighenesse grannte accordinge to her master^s good intente and meaninge withoute any furder troble by these or any other there deuices under p^retence of good seruice where there is indede no suche good seruice by them mente to be don /

A brief discourse shewinge at what rate the Subiecte delu^ereth his bullion of Silu^er to the master what he receiveth againe for the same what remeineth to her majestie and to the master by {resen} therof and howe the same remainder is deuided and disposed & what inconneuience maye growe by makinge the moneyes full standerd /

Here it is conveniente to sett doune what the master^s charge onelye aboute the coynage of the saide moneyes amounte to yerelye and haue the same maye be answered and allowed /

which surplussage of charge mvst nede be dorne & allowed to the master either by her majestie the subiecte or the moneyes /

<4v>

Yf the Subiectes shall bere it they mvst geve somuche more for coynage /

Yf neither her majestie nor the subiectes shall bere it, it mvst of necessetie {be}taken from the moneyes /

Yf if be taken from the moneyes theire stricte standerd of weight ā finesse mvst nedes be abated which hathe ben and maye be done as followeth / viz /

A nother reckoninge of Lx^s wayinge xj^oz. xviij^d weight & of xj^oz fyne the subiecte payinge xviij^d for coynage /

<5r>

Nowe it followeth howe when and in what man^er is to be answered the foresaide vj^d. . parcell of the foresaide xij^d ob for her half remedies in which and finesse when it is not in the moneyes

And her majestie^s eī remedies is not otherwise to be answered bicause the Indenture saithe Article / 20. E. 33. that if it be founde by the saide assaies viz of the pott &tc and of the boxe &c that the pounde weight throughely tryed answer not the full standerd by that it shall passe thone half of the saide remedies Lymitted in either of the saide standerds the Lacke therof shalbe entred of recorde and a theme accompte shal therof be made o somuche of the saide lacke as shall passe the saide one half the saide remedie &c and the same fully wholye to be answered &c withoute any com̄oditie to growe to any other persone for the saide &tc /

And further the saide Indenture saithe Article. 21. e. 34. sauinge alwaies &c that if by the saide assaies it shalbe founde &c that they doe passe &c the one halfe of the saide remedie lymitted &c that then it be entred of recorde and golde plate with the saide master in the charge which he shall haue when any lacke shalbe founde &c

Here it is to be noted therfore that if by the tryalle afore saide it shalbe founde that in the bullion or moneyes there be nothinge lackinge of her majestie^s eī remedies in weight or finesse then her majestie is to be answered no proffitt of the remedies / Bicause that somuche of the saide weight or fynesse as shalbe founde by the saide assaies to be in the bullion or moneies shall not be answered to her majestie by accompte / As yf the pott assaie shalbe founde to be xj^oz ob weight fine wherby the moitie of her majestie^s eī remedie in finesse is in the moneyes then the master is to answer her majestie by accompte but onelye the other. ob. weight / Yf lx^s be founde by thassaie of the pixe to waye xj^oz xviij^d weight eī whereby the moitie of her majestie^s eī remedie in weight is in the moneyes then the master is to answer her majestie by accompte but onelye thother ob weight viz j^d ob in moneyes So that the master is not to be charged for any more but so muche as shall lacke of her majestie^s eī remedies in weight and finesse of the bullion or moneyes accordinge to the forme p^rescribed in thindenture /

And it is also to be noted that if by the saide tryalls it shalbe founde that there be in the bullion or moneyes any more then her majestie^s eī remedies in weight or finesse the same shall holde place viz it shall answer the lacke of her majestie^s like eī remedies which shalbe founde by the saide tryalle of the same moneyes at any other tyme wherby it appereth that notwithstanding thexpresse Limitation of the certaine standred withoute the which no moneyes or bullion can be orderlie made that yett it was eu^er mente in the master^s bargaine that the moneyes withoute offence might be made lesse then full standered by the whole remedies the master answeringe the half remedies to her majestie in forme a foresaide / And also that it was eu^er the meaninge of the bargaine that the master sholde alwaies haue the full bennefitt of thother half remedies by waye of deteines when no parte therof was in the moneyes and by waye of holdinge plate or defaltacon when any parte therof is in the moneyes which the master thinketh will not be denyed /

<5v>

What Inconuenience maye growe by makinge the moneyes                at the full standerd

First consideringe that all the moneyes heretofore made aswell in the tymes of kinge Edwarde the vj^th kinge Philip and quene Mary as also in the tyme of the Quenes majestie that nowe is which were lymitted and appointted to be made at the full standred viz xj^oz ij^d weight fine as one neu^er thelesse for the moste parte made under there fullestricte standrerd yf therfore the moneyes from henceforthe sholde be made at their full standerd it is to be loked for that they will from tyme to tyme be culled hourded upp and transeported in Lieu therof we shall receive and haue the continuall use onelie or chefelye of the saide Lighter & baser moneyes /

Secondelie if the moneyes be made at full standerd the price of bullion must nedes be abated wherby the trade of bringinge bullion into this realme will decaye and so consequentelye her majestie^s revenew will diminishe/

Thirdelie the moneyes beinge made at the full standerd are the redice not onelye to be culled and transeported as before is saide but also to be conu^ersed into other uses wherby onelye the m^erchante and strangers maye be inriched to the hen^erall p^reiudice of the com̄on weale /

In tymes paste diu^erse holsome lawes were ordered prohibitinge aswell the meltinge as also the transeporteinge of suche moneyes as for their weight and finesse were like to be transeported or conu^erted to other uses but howe those Lawes haue ben obserued o^er p^resente scarcetie of those richest moneyes dothe verry well declare /

Moreou^er it is neither nedefull nor com̄odious to o^er publique weale to haue the moneyes made at the saide full standered so fareforthe as they be made within the remedies lymitted by thindenture & respected onelye for their curantie for which cause moneyes are chefelie made and not for the priuate com̄oditie that otherwise maye be gotten by transeportinge or conu^ertinge them to any other use /

The Subiecte with Lc^s wayinge but xj^oz xviij^d weight and beinge but xj^oz fyne maye buye here in this realme as musthe & as good com̄ditie (bullion) onelye excepted as he can doe with Lx^s wayinge xij^oz of xj^oz ij^d weight fyne /

Therfore in respecte of there currauncie whethere Lx^s waye xij^oz of xj^oz ij^d weight fine or but xj^oz xviij^d weight ofxj^oz fine it is all one to the Subiecte but in respecte of the charge that must growe for the makinge of those moneyes which if her majestie will not beare the Subiecte must beare as before is saide that wolde be to the Subiecte a greate inconvenience for then he muste paye the vallue of the remedies more for the coynage of Lx^s beinge of the full standerd then for Lx^s wantinge the remedies of the full standerd and yet as before is saide in respecte of currauncie the one Lx^s to him is no better then the other /

Again yf eu^ery Lx^s sholde wante the full remedies viz ij^d weight in weight and ij^d weight in fynesse of there full standerd yett to the subiecte it is in discomoditie bicause so longe as the remaine moneyes he loseth nothinge therby and to her majestie it is a comoditie bicause the one half of those remedies helpeth to bere the master^s charge aforesaide and thother half or so muche therof as is not in the moneyes is answered to her majestie accordine to thindenture for thencrease of her reuenew in man^er & forme as is before declared /

<6r>

The master^s answer to the wardens Informacon exhibited t the right honorable the Lords of her majestie^{s privey Councell Comissioners appointed to here & determyn mynt causes}

Right honorable the moste & greatest matters exhibited against the master in the w^ardens Infromacon are alreddy sufficyently anwered and disproued and the residue are frivilous, yet that the untruthe aswell of his Informacon as of his Estemate maye the more euidently appere, the master hathe thought good to compare the reconninge of them to gether, and briefely to collecte the chef & principall pointe that may seeme to haue moued the warden exhibit the same / First in his Estemate he saithe that the master unlawfully ympayreth the moneyes: Secondly in his Informacon he saithe that the master changeth the matter of the Standerd: Thirdly that the master iniuriousely & wrongfully taketh the Subiecte goode from them, And fouerthely that the ymbeseleth the golde & silu^er from the coyne, & so wrongfully & unlawfully taketh & conu^erteth to his owne use a number of thousande, as in the same Estemate & Informacon is expressed: And under collo^re herof all the cauells haue ben supported, wherof yf any one had ben true, it were sufficyent to conuince the master: But the w^arden to make the master^s proffite seeme hge, and these pretended causes seeme the greater and more odious, hathe gon so farre from the truthe, as he apparantly discou^ereth his mallice, & manyfestly disproueth hiim self in his owne reconynge, as followeth /                                                             For

But that bothe these reconynge are manyfestly untrue, it is evidente, for thone retheth aboue the whole remedyes, and thorther reacheth to the whole remedyes, at neither of which rates moneyes can be made, withoute certaintye of fyne & rannsome / And the moneyes them selves Disproue both: For they appere to be made verry neere the halfe remedyes: Againe yf all the moneyes geu^erally were made at the whole remedyes, it colde not be chosen, but that the tryalls wherby her majestie is to be answered, wolde fall owte accordingly: And then. her majestie must haue the moitye thereof, So that the master cannot in any wise haue the whole remedyes: All which proueth eu^ery waye, that neither of both the wardens reconynge can be true /

There appereth aswell the untruthe of the wardens Estemate as of his Informacon, which beinge so manydestly disporued, the master hopeth that these & the rest of his cauells shall haue credit accordingly: And that the master^s reconynge is true, within little more or less, he is reddye to depose uppon his othe, yf the warden will likewise sweare that his reconninge be true, wherfore the master moste humbly prayeth, that yo^r honorable will forbid the w^arden, thus continually to preferre {nue} informacons of purpose to molleste the master, by settinge newe collors uppon olde quarrells, or ells that the master be not compelled to answer any more the wardens Informacons, excepte suche as he shall exhibit uppon his othe And the master accorindge to his bounden entye, sgall daily praye for yo^r prosperous & honorable estates, linge to continewe /